Ginny Sprang

Compassion Fatigue, Compassion Satisfaction, and Burnout: Factors Impacting a Professional's Quality of Life.

This study examined the relationship between three variables, compassion fatigue (CF), compassion satisfaction (CS), and burnout, and provider and setting characteristics in a sample of 1,121 mental health providers in a rural southern state. Respondents completed the Professional Quality of Life Scale as part of a larger survey of provider practice patterns. Female gender was associated with higher levels of CF, and therapists with specialized training in trauma work reported higher levels of CS than nonspecialists. Provider discipline proved to be an important factor, with psychiatrists reporting higher levels of CF than their non-medicalcounterparts. When providers were compared using rural, urban, and rural with urban influence classifications, the most rural providers reported increased levels of burnout but could not be distinguished from their colleagues on the CF and CS subscales. Important practice, education, and policy implications are noted for a multidisciplinary audience.

Post-Disaster Stress Following the Oklahoma City Bombing An Examination of Three Community Groups

This article describes a study of 472 community members to determine the nature and course of the post-disaster response to the April 19, 1995, bombing in Oklahoma City. It was hypothesized that an individuals post-disaster reaction would resemble a linear function of the degree of exposure experienced, and that this dose-response relationship could be used to differentiate the expression of post-traumatic stress disorder and victimization symptomatology within the three study groups. The respondents were divided into three groups based on their level of exposure and proximity to the event. The findings partially support the stated hypotheses. As expected, the Oklahoma City groups reported higher levels of post-disaster disturbance than the comparison sample, although only PTSD and victimization could be used to differentiate among the three groups.

The use of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) in the treatment of traumatic stress and complicated mourning: Psychological and behavioral outcomes.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the differential effects of treatment on a complex of symptomatology that includes grief, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and self-esteem by comparing eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) and guided mourning (GM) treatments. Method: Twenty-three EMDR clients and 27 GM clients completed measures designed to assess psychosocial and behavioral symptoms of loss before and after treatment and at a 9-month follow-up period. Results: Out of the five psychosocial measures of distress, four (State Anxiety, Impact of Event Scale, Index of Self-Esteem, and PTSD) were found to be significantly altered by type of treatment provided, with EMDR clients reporting the greatest reduction of PTSD symptoms. Data from the behavioral measures revealed similar findings.

The effects of family-friendly workplace environments on work-family stress of employed parents

Abstract This study utilized the spillover conceptual framework to examine the effects of structural (formal policies) and dynamic (informal supervisory support) aspects of the workplace on the financial stress, time-based problems, and role-strain of employed parents. Data was obtained by telephone interview from an availability sample of 374 employed parents in several different workplaces. Logistic regression analyses provided partial support for the hypotheses that each of four groups of different family-friendly policies would effect specific work-family outcomes. One structural component, leave time allowance policy, helped ease the time-based problems of employed parents. The other structural components such as child care assistance, alternative work arrangements or stress management programs did not effect the work-family stress variables. Several dynamic components of the work environment, particularly informal supervisory support, were associated with all three measures of work-family stress. This comprehensive model suggests that workplace support for working parents must extend beyond formal policies and practices to move workers and their families forward as the primary beneficiaries of family-friendly workplaces.

Trauma exposure and child abuse potential: Investigating the cycle of violence

This study was designed to ascertain the relationship between trauma exposure and child abuse potential, considering a number of demographic and trauma-specific factors. The sample consisted of 1,680 caregivers with open, substantiated cases of abuse or neglect who were evaluated at a university-based outpatient assessment and treatment center. As part of a larger battery of instruments, the participants completed the Child Abuse Potential Inventory (CAPI) and a trauma history screen. In partial support of the proposed hypotheses, univariate and multivariate analyses revealed important differences in CAPI scores between the no-trauma-exposure group and the child-only, adult-only, and child-adult exposure groups. In addition, the type of trauma, age, and gender proved to be powerful predictors of elevated CAPI scores. These findings advance understanding of the developmental and cumulative effects of trauma exposure and suggest a profile of individuals who may be at risk for developing characteristics similar to known physical abusers.

The Trauma of Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Youth A Comparison of CSE Victims to Sexual Abuse Victims in a Clinical Sample

This study examined the demographic features, trauma profiles, clinical severity indicators, problem behaviors, and service utilization characteristics of youth victims of commercial sexual exploitation (CSE) compared with a matched sample of sexually abused/assaulted youth who were not exploited in commercial sex. Secondary data analysis and propensity score matching were used to select a sample of 215 help-seeking youth who were exploited in prostitution (n = 43) or who were sexually abused/assaulted but not exploited in prostitution (n = 172) from the National Child Traumatic Stress Network Core Data Set (NCTSN CDS). Propensity Score Matching was used to select a comparison sample based on age, race, ethnicity, and primary residence. Statistically significant differences were noted between the groups on standardized (e.g., UCLA Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Reaction Index [PTSD-RI], Child Behavior Checklist [CBCL]) and other measures of emotional and behavioral problems (e.g., avoidance and hyperarousal symptoms, dissociation, truancy, running away, conduct disorder, sexualized behaviors, and substance abuse). This study provides useful insight into the symptom and service utilization profiles of youth exploited in commercial sex as compared with youth with other types of sexually exploitive experiences. Targeted screening and event-sensitive measures are recommended to more accurately identify youth exploited in commercial sex. More research is needed to determine if and what modifications to trauma therapies may be required to address the more severe symptomatology and behavior problems associated with youth exploited in commercial sex.

Caregiver Substance Use and Child Outcomes: A Systematic Review

In spite of widespread concern that children living with substance-misusing caregivers are experiencing greater risk for maltreatment, little research examines the direct effects of caregiver substance use on child outcomes. This systematic review investigates the work done within and across disciplines of adult substance abuse, child welfare, and child mental health, including the measurement of key terms, conceptualization of primary variables, and suggested implications for translational science to practice. The findings of the review show considerable shortcomings for examining this complex problem. To move research forward, we suggest ways to improve measures and methods to provide more robust support for inferences about child maltreatment and mental health outcomes.

Long‐term effects of Hurricane Katrina on the psychological well‐being of evacuees

Hurricane Katrina of August 2005 forced more than one million people to evacuate the Gulf Coast of the United States. This study examines the psychological health and well-being of a subset of evacuees to determine the prevalence of ongoing mental health problems. Interviews were conducted with 101 adults who evacuated to Louisville, Kentucky, and were living in the state at the one-year anniversary of the event or had recently returned to the Gulf Coast. The psychological health and well-being of respondents was evaluated using several well-validated measures. More than one-half met the criteria for post-traumatic stress disorder and a majority were suffering from depression and anxiety. The mean quality of life score was 0.6 on a scale from 0-1, suggesting that adaptation and return to pre-hurricane well-being had not occurred 12 months after the storm. The potential for long-term psychological damage exists in this sample of Hurricane Katrina evacuees. Results suggest other evacuees may also be at heightened risk.

Vicarious Stress: Patterns of Disturbance and Use of Mental Health Services by Those Indirectly Affected by the Oklahoma City Bombing

This study explored the intermediate psychological effects of terrorism on adults not directly affected by the Oklahoma City bombing by examining the course of PTSD and subthreshold PTSD symptoms over time and whether treatment affected this course. The respondents were interviewed at 3-mo. intervals for 18 mo. following an initial 6-mo. survey. Analysis suggested avoidance, re-experiencing, and increased arousal symptoms in this population were limited over time, declining with or without treatment between 6 and 9 mo. Conversely, victimization symptoms remained high without mental health intervention for the first year after the disaster. The study also examined the nature and occurrence of comorbidity in groups seeking and not seeking treatment.

Developing and Tailoring Mental Health Technologies for Child Welfare: The Comprehensive Assessment and Training Services (CATS) Project

This article describes the development and implementation of the Comprehensive Assessment and Training Services Project, a multidisciplinary center designed to prevent children from lingering in the foster care system and to provide early interventions to prevent lifelong problems. This article outlines the conditions that led to the identified need for such a program; the conceptual model used to guide protocol development and refinement: the methodological approach to evaluation, intervention, and technology transfer; specific program components; and, finally, the challenges and barriers to success.